Earring construction having interchangeable parts



Dec. 31, 1968 F. x. WIESHUBER EARRING CONSTRUCTION HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS Filed Sept. 2, 1964 INVENTOR. A' M/Z A. Mfewaate ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,418,826 EARRING CONSTRUCTION HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS Franz X. Wieshuber, 2551 Fullerton Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60647 Filed Sept. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 394,005 4 Claims. (Cl. 63-13) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An earring including a back part with an ear attaching device and an ornamental part detachably secured to the back part. The ornamental part has tabs which are passed through slots of a plate on the back part and rotated to lock them behind the plate. A deformable lip on one part may be bent into a recess on the other to prevent separation.

This invention relates to earrings and more particularly to an earring construction which permits a jeweler to readily and quickly supply a customer with ornaments of his choice combined with a form of holding fitting of her choice. The construction is relatively simple and yet provides an earring which is strong, reliable, rugged and durable, and it is compact and attractive in appearance without protrusions which might otherwise snag the clothing or hair of the user.

This invention was evolved with the general object of obviating problems which have heretofore been encountered in the marketing of earrings. Conventional earrings having the appearance and ornamentation appealing to a potential purchaser may not be suitable because of the type of ear lobe holding device or fitting provided thereon. For example, a pair of earrings which may be otherwise desirable may have pin fittings for pierced ears, while the potential purchaser may prefer a screw type fitting or a resilient clamp type fitting. In such a case, the jeweler may construct the earrings by removing the pin fittings and installing the desired screw type or clamp type fittings. However, such reconstruction of the earrings is time-consuming and expensive and may result in earrings of inferior construction, particularly if the jeweler is not highly skilled or does not spend the required time and care.

According to this invention, a detachable construction is provided wherein earring back parts are provided in pairs having different types of lobe fittings, such as the screw type fittings, clamp type fittings and the pin fittings for pierced ears, and such back parts are arranged to be detachably secured to front parts having various types of ornaments secured thereto. The purchaser then selects front parts having the desired form of ornaments and the jeweler attaches the back parts having the desired type of fitting.

This arrangement has many advantages. The purchaser can immediately obtain a pair of earrings of the desired form, while the jeweler need not go to the time and expense which would otherwise be required in reconstruction of earrings. In addition, the front and back parts may be stocked separately, and the overall supply of parts required to provide the desired selection of earring ornamentations is greatly reduced. In addition, the ordering of additional stock is simplified since the jeweler need only order the number of back parts required to have an ample supply of the various forms of back fittings, and can select the ornament-carrying front parts without re- 3,418,826 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 gard to the type of fitting that potential purchasers might desire.

An important feature of the invention is in the provision of means for detachably securing the front and back parts together, having a construction such as to permit the parts to be readily secured together, while being strong, rugged, reliable and durable. In accordance with this feature, one of the parts carries a circular disk having a plurality of notches at spaced points in the periphery thereof, and the other of the parts carries a plurality of lugs or lips extending radially inwardly from points on a circle having a diameter greater than that of said disk to inner terminal ends adapted to initially extend through the notches of the disk and to extend unde'r unnotched peripheral edge portions of the disk after thereafter relatively rotating the parts about the axis of the disk, to detachably hold the parts together. Preferably, three notches and three corresponding lips are provided, with approximately a degree spacing.

A specific feature is in the provision of a notch on one of the parts and an integral tab or lip on the other part to permanently lock the parts against relative rotation after the parts are secured together.

Another specific feature is in the provision of stop means for limiting relative rotation of the parts, and for permitting easy alignment of the deformable lip and the notch.

Another very important feature of the invention is in the construction of the back and front parts in the form of hollow cup-shaped members having open ends of substantially the same size and shape with means on the inside of the parts for detachably securing the parts with the open ends thereof in engagement, so as to provide a resultant assembly having a smooth exterior without protrusions or the like which might otherwise snag the clothing or hair of the user. Preferably, the parts may be semispherical in shape, so as to provide a compact spherical assembly, attractive in appearance.

This invention contemplates other objects, features and advantages which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an earring constructed according to the principles of this invention, including an ornament on a front part detachably secured to a back part carrying a screw type fitting;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 1, illustrating the front part of the assembly of FIGURE 1 secured to another form of back part which carries a clamp type fitting;

FIGURE 3 is another elevational view similar to FIG- URE 1, illustrating the front part secured to another form of back part which carries one form of pin fitting for pierced ears;

FIGURE 4 is still another elevational view similar to that of FIGURE 1, illustrating the front part of FIG- URE 1 secured to another form of back part carrying another form of pin fitting for pierced ears;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the construction of the means for detachably holding the front and back parts together;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the back part of the assembly of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a rear elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the front part of the assembly of FIGURE 1.

Reference numeral 10 in FIGURE 1 generally designates an earring assembly constructed according t the principles of this invention. The assembly comprises front and back parts 11 and 12 of hollow cup-shaped semispherical shape having open ends held together, to together provide an assembly of spherical shape. The front part 11 carries an ornament generally designated by reference numeral 13 while the back part 12 carries a screw type fitting generally designated by reference numeral 14.

The ornament 13 may of course be of any desired form, the illustrated ornament 13 comprising a lower part 15 having an upper ring portion 16 linked to a ring portion 17 of an upper part 18 having an upper ring portion 19 linked to a ring 20 rigidly secured to the back part 11. Other types of ornaments, such as set stones, may be rigidly secured directly to the back part 11.

The illustrated screw fitting 14 comprises a generally U-shaped element 22 having one leg 23 secured at its upper end to the lower end of the back part 12 and having a second leg 24 secured at its upper end to an internally threaded sleeve 25 through which a screw 26 extends, a narrowed wheel 27 being secured to the outer end of the screw 26, and an ear lobe engaging member 28 being secured to the inner end of the screw 26. It may be noted that the back part 12 with its spherical shape presents a smooth surface for engagement with the ear lobe.

In FIGURE 2, reference numeral 30 generally designates another form of assembly wherein the front part 11 of the assembly 10 of FIGURE 1, with the ornament 13 thereon, is secured to another back part 31, of the same construction as the back part 12 of FIGURE 1, but having secured thereto a clamp type fitting 32. The fitting 32 comprises a generally U-shaped member 34 having one leg 35 secured at its upper end to the lower end of the back part 31 and having a second leg 36 carrying integral pins 37 engaged in openings of a pivotal clamp member 38. Clamp member 38 is of inverted U- shaped form having its outer leg 39 pivoted at its lower end on the pins 37 and having its inner leg 40 formed with a portion 41 for engagement with an ear lobe and having a lower end portion 42 for engagement with the leg portion 36 of the member 34, to resiliently pivot the clamp member 38, and press the portion 41 against the ear lobe.

In FIGURE 3, reference numeral 44 generally designates another form of assembly, wherein the front part 11 of FIGURE 1, with the ornament 13 thereon, is detachably secured to a back part 46, of the same construction as the part 12, but having secured thereto a pin 47 for extending through a pierced ear lobe. The pin 47 is threaded at its outer end for receiving a disk 48, secured to a ring 49, for installation on the pin 47 after insertion through the ear lobe.

In FIGURE 4, reference numeral 50 generally designates still another form of assembly for use with pierced ears, wherein the part 11 carrying the ornament 13 thereon, is detachably secured to a back part 52 having secured thereto a pin 53 for extending through a pierced ear lobe. After insertion of the pin 53 through the pierced ear lobe, a holding member 54 is pivoted to a position as illustrated, wherein the outer end of the pin 53 extends through an opening therein. Member 54 is connected at its lower end by a hinge 55 to the lower end of a member 56 rigidly secured at its upper end to the back part 52.

Important features of the invention relate to the construction of locking means for detachably securing the front and back parts together, as shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7. FIGURE 5 has an elevational sectional view through the front and back parts 11 and 12 after they are secured in assembly, FIGURE 6 is a front elevational View of the back part 12, and FIGURE 7 is a rear elevational view of the front part 11.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the back part 12 is formed with three integral lips 58, 59 and 60 struck from the wall thereof and turned radially inwardly. The lips 58, 59 and 60 are adapted to extend through notches 61, 62 and 63, respectively, in the peripheral edge of a disk 64. Disk 64 is disposed on a reduced diameter portion of a central stud 66 formed integrally on a circular plate 67 which has its periphery soldered or otherwise secured inside the open end of the front part 11. After disposing the disk 64 on the reduced diameter portion 65, portion is deformed to provide a head .68 for rigidly holding disk 64 on the stud 66.

In assembly, the front and back parts 11 and 12 are brought together with the front part 11 rotated 60 degrees from the illustrated position, so as to align slots 61, 62 and 63 with lugs 58, 59, and 60, respectively. After so bringing the parts together, the lips 58, 59 and 60 are positioned inside the disk 64 and the front part 11 is then rotated back through 60 degrees to the illustrated position, such rotation being limited by engagement of the lip 60 with a protrusion on the inner surface of the disk 64, formed by striking an indentation 69 in the disk 64. With the parts so positioned, a lip 70 formed integrally on the part 12 is deformed to engage in a notch 71 of the front part 11, as illustrated in FIG- URE 5.

The parts are then rigidly and permanently secured together. However, should it become desirable to disassemble the parts, for any reason, a tool may be engaged under the lip 70 to move it back the position shown in FIGURE 6, after which the parts 11 and 12 may be relatively rotated to align the lips 58-60 with the notches 61-63.

It will be understood that the back parts 31, 46 and 52 of the assemblies 30, 44 and 50 have constructions identical to that of the back part 12, to permit assembly with the part 11 in the same manner.

This invention thus provides an earring construction wherein a jeweler may readily and quickly supply a customer with ornaments of his choice combined with a form of holding fitting of his choice. The construction is relatively simple but yet is strong, reliable, rugged and durable and it is compact and attractive in appearance Without protrusions which would otherwise snag the hair or clothing of the user.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of this invention.

I claim:

1. In an earring, a back part including a hollow ornamental portion, means on said back part for securing said back part to an ear lobe, a front part including a hollow ornamental portion means for securing an ornament to said front part, attaching means for detachably attaching said front and back parts, said attaching means including a circular disk having a central portion secured within the hollow ornamental portion of one of said parts and having a plurality of notches at spaced points in the peripheral edge thereof, a plurality of lips on the hollow ornamental portion of the other said parts extending radially inwardly from points on a circle having a diameter greater than that of said disk to inner terminal ends adapted to initially extend through said notches and to extend under unnotched peripheral edge portions of said disk after thereafter relatively rotating said parts, to thereby detachably hold said parts together, said hollow ornamental portions including mating peripheral means for concealing said attaching means.

2. An earring as defined in claim 1 having three of said lips spaced approximately degrees apart.

3. In an earring as defined in claim 1, one of said parts having a notch therein, and the other of said parts having a lip deformable into said notch, to prevent relative rotation of said parts after they are secured together.

4. In an earring as defined in claim 3, means for limit-.

5 6 ing relative rotation of said parts to align said deform- 2,108,324 2/1938 White et a1 63-29 able lip with said notch. 2,797,561 7/ 1957 Vaughn 63-29 X 2,433,711 12/1947 Schober et a1. 63-14 References Cited 2,610,487 9/1952 Friedman 63-14 0 UNITED STATES PATENTS F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner. 409,132 8/1889 Wilcox 24104 X Us Cl XR 1,102,055 6/1914 Kenney 24-221 1,590,781 6/1926 Tate et a1. 24 221 6329;24104,221;287103 

